FAQ | Dina Hart Birth Services

A doula provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support before, during, and after birth. I help you prepare for labour through antenatal visits, support you throughout your birth (whether at home, in a birth centre, or in hospital), and offer practical guidance and reassurance. I'm not medically trained, so I don't perform clinical tasks like checking your blood pressure or delivering your baby — that's the role of midwives and doctors. Instead, I focus on comfort measures like positioning, breathing techniques, massage, and advocacy to help you feel informed, capable, and supported throughout your birth journey.

Midwives provide essential medical care and deliver your baby, but they often care for multiple families and may change shifts during your labour. Your partner is there to love and support you, but they're also experiencing the birth emotionally and may feel unsure about how to help. A doula is there solely for you, with no other responsibilities. I stay with you continuously throughout labour, offering practical coping techniques, reassurance, and advocacy. I also support your birth partner, helping them feel confident and involved. Research shows that continuous doula support can lead to shorter labours, fewer interventions, and more positive birth experiences.

Ideally, families hire a doula during the second trimester (around 16–24 weeks), which gives us plenty of time to build a relationship, discuss your birth preferences in depth, and prepare thoroughly. However, I've supported families who've contacted me much later — even in the third trimester or just a few weeks before their due date. If you're feeling uncertain, anxious, or simply want more support, it's never too late to reach out. I'll do everything I can to support you, no matter when you get in touch.

Yes. I support home births, hospital births, birth centre births, VBACs (vaginal birth after caesarean), water births, and inductions. I also support families who need or choose a planned caesarean. My role is to help you feel prepared, informed, and supported no matter where or how you give birth. If plans change — for example, if a home birth transfers to hospital — I stay with you and help you navigate that transition calmly and confidently.

I'm based in Brighton and primarily support families across Brighton, Hove, Lewes, Worthing, Shoreham, and the wider East Sussex area. If you're outside this area but still interested in working together, please get in touch and we can discuss whether I'm able to support you.

My birth doula package (£1,200) includes two antenatal visits at your home where we discuss your birth preferences, fears, and practical preparation; continuous support during labour and birth (I stay with you from active labour until 1–2 hours after the birth); telephone and email support from the moment you book; a loan of my TENS machine if you'd like to use one; and a postnatal visit within the first two weeks after birth to debrief, answer questions, and check in on how you're doing. I'm also on call for you from 38 weeks of pregnancy.